By Andrew Sagayam

KUALA LUMPUR - A man's obsessive love for his former girlfriend could prove fatal. He now faces the death sentence.

On his 23rd birthday, which coincidentally fell on Friday the 13th, he tried to win back his former lover and employer, a 35-year-old owner of a hair salon.

The love-struck birthday boy decided to hold the woman, a Singaporean, hostage at gunpoint in her outlet in Taman Kosas in Ampang for over two hours before surrendering.

Ampang Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Abdul Jalil Hassan said the man committed three serious offences and could face the mandatory death penalty under Section 3 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971.

"Under the Act, the death penalty may be imposed for discharging a firearm with the intent to cause death or hurt.

"He also could be charged with wrongful confinement under Section 342 of the Penal Code," he told The Star, adding that the man did not have a licence for the firearm.

Police seized a German-made Walther P99 semi-automatic pistol from the man, who bought the weapon in Penang for RM20,000 (S$8,206) two days before coming here.

The pistol is believed to have been smuggled from Thailand where the man visited frequently.

ACP Abdul Jalil said the man, who was intoxicated when he was arrested and tested positive for drugs, was nabbed for vehicle theft in Penang four years ago.

It is learnt that the man was the woman's bodyguard-cum-driver and salon caretaker.

The couple had been seeing each other since January.

However, several weeks ago, the man was given the sack by the woman, who also ended their relationship.

The single woman is said to be in a relationship with another man.

In the incident, the man arrived at the hair salon at about 9.30am and waited in his car for over an hour before storming into the building.

When his ex-girlfriend refused to speak to him, a shouting match and struggle ensued, during which he assaulted her.

During the argument, the man accused the woman of lending him a Nissan Fairlady belonging to her new boyfriend, although she had told him it was a rented car.

When two workers tried to stop him, he whipped out a pistol and fired three shots into the ceiling.

The frightened workers fled the double-storey shop lot and called the police.

Police coaxed him into surrendering at 1.30pm after informing him that the shop lot was surrounded.